Slacca Myths, Realities, And Coaching 2009[1]

Myths and Realities about Myths and Realities about Differentiation: Differentiation:

Supporting Systemic Supporting Systemic Change in Teaching and Change in Teaching and

LearningLearning

Susan Bergman, Mathematics CoordinatorMerlene Gilb, Gifted CoordinatorWebster Groves School District

Myths and Realities Myths and Realities Sorting ActivitySorting Activity

• In your small group, classify each of the provided statements as either a myth or reality in relation to differentiation.

• Next, match “parallel” statements (the myth and it’s related reality).

• Finally, as a group decide on an additional myth that could be added to the list and it’s related reality.

MythMyth RealityReality

Differentiation is something extra teachers have to do in the classroom.

Differentiation is at the core of what we know about quality instruction.

It is not extra, it is good teaching.


Differentiation is a lowering of expectations for students.

Differentiation always “teaches up”. It’s never a way out of rigor, but rather support to achieve rigor.


Differentiation is incompatible with standards and standards-based teaching.

Differentiation is a means of achieving standards by ensuring that more students achieve the learning goals.


Differentiation is for students with special needs.

Differentiation is for everyone.

Every student has readiness needs, learning preferences, specific interest and aptitudes, and affective needs.


Differentiation is tracking in the regular classroom.

Differentiation exists to ensure equity of access to the highest quality curriculum for all learners.


Differentiation is Multiple Intelligences or learning styles.

Differentiation addresses readiness, interest, and learning profile.

(Gardner’s work addresses 1/4 of 1/3 of that range.)


A differentiated classroom is noisy, confusing, unstructured, disorderly, or chaotic.

An effective differentiated classroom exhibits more order and structure than single-approach classrooms.


Differentiation becomes untenable when report card time arrives.

Best practices of grading are in-sync with principles and practices of differentiation.


As long as I give my students choices, I’m differentiating instruction

Quality differentiation balances student choice and teacher choice which is based on assessment data and clear learning targets.


Differentiation is unfair because a teacher who differentiates doesn’t treat all students the same.

A goal of Differentiating Instruction is to make sure each student gets the help necessary for success.

That’s likely “more fair” than one-size-fits-all.


Differentiation is individualized instruction or a lesson plan or IEP for each student.

Differentiation seeks common patterns of need across students and focuses on small groups.


Differentiation is something most teachers do already.

Differentiation is something all teachers need to do with deliberate intent.

Very few teachers proactively differentiate instruction.

It is the standard necessary for academic diversity.


Differentiation requires teachers to use particular instructional strategies – a “bag of tricks”.

Differentiation is not about any particular instructional strategy. It is a way of life in a classroom.

Our JourneyOur Journey

• 50 teachers selected to participate in Teacher Leader Academy (TLA)

• Administrators participated in training as well as a book study

• Differentiation training provided by ASCD trainers: Judy Rex and Nanci Smith

• Each TLA member was assigned a coach• The coaches have focused on building

relationships.• Follow-up reflection sessions are held after school.

WGSD Teacher Leader Academy

www.webster.k12.mo.us/rtdi

http://www.webster.k12.mo.us/rtdi

• Professional development as a term is a major obstacle to progress in teacher learning;

• We need to deeply appreciate the meaning of noted educator Richard Elmore’s observation (2004) that improvement above all entails “learning to do the right things in the setting where you work” (p. 73);

• Student learning depends on every teacher learning all the time;

CC HH AA NN GG EE

Some Thinking to OfferSome Thinking to Offer

“Change the Terms for Teacher Learning”Michael FullanJournal of Staff Development, v28 n3 p35-36 Sum 2007

A Change in Terms . . .

PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

becomesONGOING LEARNINGONGOING LEARNING

• The process of change is difficult and frustrating to grasp because it requires taking into account factors we’d rather not have to stop and deal with. We would rather lay out the purpose and plan and get on with it. Change doesn’t work that way.

• Making change work requires the energy, ideas, commitment, and ownership of all those implementing improvements.

• Shared vision and ownership are more the outcome of a quality change process than they are a precondition.

CC HH AA NN GG EE

Further Thinking to OfferFurther Thinking to Offer

Understanding the change process.8 Forces for Leader of ChangeBy Michael Fullan, Claudia Cuttress, and Ann KilcherJSD – Fall, 2005

• Do our own mental models trap us?

• Do we REALLY understand the magnitude of the changes we are asking teachers to make?

In working toward school In working toward school change, we need to change, we need to

examine our own beliefs examine our own beliefs about about WHYWHY teachers aren’t teachers aren’t

changing.changing.

• What are your beliefs about how students learn?

• How tightly are your beliefs tied to your own strengths as an educator?

• What are your beliefs about your role in student success?

• What keeps you from trying new practices?

Differentiated CoachingDifferentiated CoachingFor TEACHER-CENTEREDTEACHER-CENTERED staff development, the starting point is FOUR essential questions . . .

Establishing a Establishing a COMMON COMMON FRAMEWORKFRAMEWORK

Using a framework opens up conversations about beliefs Using a framework opens up conversations about beliefs and reminds change agents of their OWN educational and reminds change agents of their OWN educational biases and how much they are asking teachers to biases and how much they are asking teachers to changes.changes.

• Describes preferences for learning in a nonjudgmental way, encompassing both adult

and student learning styles.

• Strengths-based rather than describing the deficits of learning styles (use your strengths

NOT work on weaknesses).

• Must work within and honor diverse cultures.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator tool (MBTI)

ToolTool NOT a Test

Self-reportingSelf-reportingNOT

Diagnostic

8 8 PREFERENCESPREFERENCES

16 TYPES16 TYPES

Imagine for a Imagine for a Moment . . .Moment . . .

that you are back in school and you have

just been given a major assignment that

is due at the end of the semester.

When would you normally When would you normally

FINISHFINISH such a project? such a project?NotNot LABELING but providing a FRAMEWORK LABELING but providing a FRAMEWORKto discuss differences in positive ways.to discuss differences in positive ways.

Let’Let’s s Find Find OutOut

A Significant Factor in A Significant Factor in EducationEducation

The selection ration (I) calculates the expected number of teachers, based on their frequency in a standard population sample, expected to go into teaching.

My Ideal Staff My Ideal Staff Development DayDevelopment Day

ISISIntroversion

Sensing

ININIntroversion

Intuition

ESESExtraversion

Sensing

ENENExtraversion

Intuition

Learning Styles and Learning Styles and CoachingCoaching

• The root meaning of the verb ‘to coach’ is to convey a valued person from where he or she was to where he or she wants to be. (p. 24)

The Sequential Coaching The Sequential Coaching Process:Process:

• Find out what teachers believe.

• Develop a change process that takes into account the information needs and learning needs of each teacher.

• Talk with the teachers about the biggest problems they face in their classrooms.

• Reframe those problems when necessary.

• Develop alternatives, evaluate them, and choose the one with the best chance of success.

• Carefully monitor the implementation of the solution, collecting data as evidence. If this process goes against the teachers’ natural strengths, it will be very difficult to implement correctly to produce the kind of evidence needed to change beliefs.

• It is key to stay dedicated and persistent in ensuring that teacher’s efforts produce evidence that overcomes their beliefs.

I believe that the art of thus giving shape to I believe that the art of thus giving shape to human powers and adapting them to social human powers and adapting them to social service, is the supreme art; one calling to its service, is the supreme art; one calling to its service the best of artists; that no insight, tact, service the best of artists; that no insight, tact, executive power is too great for such serviceexecutive power is too great for such service. . - - DeweyDewey

Reflection Reflection on a Wordon a Word

Questions for One Questions for One AnotherAnother

Thank You!Thank You!

Helpful Resources . . . • Susan Bergman

[email protected]

• Merlene [email protected]

• Sarah [email protected]

• WGSD Responsive Teaching Website:www.webster.k12.mo.us/rtdi

• Kise, J. (2006). Differentiated coaching: A framework for helping teachers change. Thousand Oakes, CA: Corwin Press.

• Tomlinson, C. (2003). Fulfilling the promise of the differentiated classroom: Strategies and tools for responsive teaching. ASCD.

mailto:[email protected]



http://www.webster.k12.mo.us/rtdi